Apparatus for absorption of dilute gases by liquids.



I. MOSOIGKI.

APPARATUS FOR ABSORPTION 0P DILUTE GASES BY LIQUIDS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG 17, 1911.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

IGNACY MOSCICKI, or FRIBOURG, SWITZERLAND.

APPARATUS FOR ABSORPTION OF DILUTE GASES IBY.LIQUIDS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IGNACY MosoIoKI, a subject of the Czar of Russia,and residing at Fribourg, Switzerland, have invented a certain new anduseful Improved Apparatus for Absorption of Dilute Gases by Liquids, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for, the absorption of dilute gases byliquids.

If, during the absorption of gases by liquids, the gas to be absorbed isstrongly diluted by other gases, when the product of reaction with theliquid is to be obtained having a high degree of concentration theabsorbing liquid must be caused to pass through the same absorbing layerseveral times in order to be gradually enriched with absorbed gases.Consequently, it is not possible in one single column, working on thecounter-current principle, simultaneously to bring fresh gases intocontact with enriched liquid and very poor gases with fresh liquid.Therefore, a plurality of layers offilling material have been seriallyconnected. In'

each' layer or column of filling material the same absorbing liquid israised several times to the top of the column and then is allowed topass down through the layer of filling material; From time to time, theabsorbing liquid is transferred from one column to another, while .thegases pass through the columns inthe reverse order, so that the richestgases are caused to enter the column of filling material containing themost concentrated liquid, and, as the gases become poorer throughabsorption, they. pass through the columns of fillin material con-'taining fresher liquid. In t e last column, the almost entirelyexhausted gases come into contact with entirely fresh liquid. The mostconcentrated liquid, after having been in contact with the richest gasesin the first column is drawn ofi, in order to. make room for lessconcentrated liquid, which passes in a direction opposite to that of theflow of the gases on the counter-current principle. Such an arrangementrequires a large number of columns of filling material.

- Now, I have discovered that, by employing filling material of smallindividual size,

a much greater, area of contact can be provided between the gases andthe absorbing liquid than by using filling material composed ofcomparatively large individual Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 17, 1911.

Serial No. 644,579.

parts. Thus, one .is enabled to considerably reduce the volume ofthesingle columns of filling material, without any detriment to theirefliciency. .I have also discovered that by periodically pouring overthe columns of filling material such a quantity of liquid that acontinuous column is formed, all parts of the column are temporarilyimmersed in the liquid. In this way, not only the filling materialcan-be fully utilized, but the thickness of each layer, or column, canbe greatly reduced in the direction of the Patented Dec.3, 1912.

flow of the gases, say to a minimum of from v 15 tol30 centimeters. Inaccordance with these discoveries, I have constructed an apparatus forthe absorption of dilute gases by liquids, containing an inclosedspace,- which is wholly or partly filled with a suitable fillingmaterial and through which the gases are caused to pass in a horizontaldirection, while the liquid for absorbing the gases flows through thecolumns in a perpendicular direction and, being periodically discharged,passes through the filling material in the form of a continuous column.In this manner, the gases will be fully absorbed by the liquid,--notwithstanding the.

fact that the direction of flow of the liquid is at right angles to thedirection of movement of the gases to be absorbed.

The apparatus can be used, for instance,

for the purpose of absorbing oxide of nitrogen, which gases are nowproduced in large volumes by the combustion of atmospheric air in anelectric high potential arc. Such gases are used in the'manufacture ofnitric acid and nitric acid salts and are greatly diluted withatmospheric air. Where the apparatus is used for absorbing oxids ofnitrogen, the liquid, which is poured over the filling material, isWater containing nitricacid, and the filling material may be quartzrock, or it may be composed of little pieces of glass having a dimensionof from about 5 to 10 millimeters in length and 3 to 10 millimeters inwidth. I

In the drawing, in which one construc tion of my new apparatus is shownby way of example, Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in sectionshowing my improved apparatus, and Fig. 2' is a cross-section taken inthe plane II-II in Fig. 1.

Small filling material 1s contained in a tightly closed chamber 3 havinga gas mlet pipe 1 and a gas outlet plpe 2, the gases flowing through thesaid chamber in the direction of the two horizontal arrows. In

ported at both sides by filling material.

Each absorbing layer is covered with a perforated plate or distributers11, and under each absorbing layer is a collecting receptacle or tank 12for collecting the absorbing liquid passing through the apper tainingabsorbing layer. The tanks, when viewed from the gas inlet pipe 1, arearranged stepwise up to the rear end of the chamber and eachcommunicates with the neighboring one by way of an overflow pipe 13. Tothis end the partitions 5 are notched at the bottom, as shown at 22 inFig. 2. The absorbing liquid, 6. 9. water, is supplied by means ofcompressed air vessels 14, two or more of which belong to each layer.Liquid and compressed air. supply pipes 15 and 16 respectivelycommunicate with each of these vessels, and a liquid dis charge pipe 17leads to the chamber or space above the strainer or perforated plate 11on each layer. Each layer is showered separately and periodically byintroducing compressed air into the vessels 14 filled with water,whereby these vessels are rapidly emptied over the layers of fillingmaterial. There is thus formed each time in each layer a continuouscolumn of water which, while sinking, places all parts of the layerunder water and thus thoroughly washes them. Pipes 18 open into thebottoms of the tanks 12, and every time the absorbing layers'are washedor rinsed, the said pipes 18 convey the liquid collected in the tanks topumps, 21, by means of which the liquid can be again conveyed into thecompressed air vessels 14 and thence onto the absorbing layers.Consequently, the same quantity of liquid can circulate several times inone layer and become highly enriched with the gas to be absorbed.

The various absorbing layers are showered separately, as already stated,with liquid whose concentration decreases from the first layer 6 next tothe gas inlet pipe 1 toward the succeeding layers. The gases enteringthe chamber through the pipe 1 first meet with highly concentratedliquid, while the exhausted gases passing through the last layers offilling material cont-act with fresh or strongly diluted absorbingliquid. Fresh absorbing liquid is supplied through the pipe 19communicating with the top tank 12. hen fresh absorbing liquid issupplied and the quantity of liquid circulating in the rearmost layer 10consequently increases, this surplus is delivered through the overflowpipe 13 to the next tank and its absorbing layer 9. As compared with thefresh liquid supplied to the layer 10, the surplus liquid delivered inthe next tank has a higher degree of concentration. As this is repeatedin the remaining layers, owing to the arrangement of the tanks theabovementioned graduated concentration of the absorbing liquid in thevarious layers is' established and maintained. The concentrated liquidis withdrawn from the ap-. paratus through the pipe 20 communicatingwith the lowermost tank. It is obvious from the above that each fillinglayer to-' gether with the showered means forms a self-contained andself-operating absorbing chamber, which, however, possesses gastightwalls only at a very small part of its periphery which also belongs tothe external wall of the whole apparatus.

As stated above, each time the vessels 14: are emptied, there is formedin each layer of filling material a continuous column of water. As thevessels 14. contain a large volume of water, which is rapidly poured outover the layers, the collecting tanks 12 at the bottom of the layersbecome suddenly filled with the liquid, which is only slowly andgradually drawn off by the pump through pipes 18. If, therefore, throughpipe 19 fresh absorbing liquid is admitted into the highest collectingtank, part of the liquid in said higher tank will fiow into the adjacentlower tank and so forth, until the liquid finally reaches the pipe 20 atthe gas-inlet end of the apparatus, where it is drawn off. The speed offlow of the liquid through pipe 20 depends on theamount of the freshabsorbing liquid, whichis supplied through inlet pipe 19 at. the gasoutlet end of' the apparatus. The fresh absorb; ing liquid, as it passesthrough the several layers of filling material becomes more and moreconcentrated and enriched with the gases flowing in the oppositedirection, so that when the liquid reaches the first layer 6 it ishighly concentrated and the gases entering through inlet pipe 1 come incontact with the highly concentrated liquid. As the gases then pass onthrough theseveral layers, they come in contact with less concentratedliquid, until in the last layer they come in contact with the freshabsorbing liquid supplied through pipe 19.

The space between every two absorbing layers filled with fine granularmaterial may, of course, vary in size. These chambers are particularlyfor condensing the mist formed in the absorbing layers when the gasesflowing therethrough exceed a-certain velocity of flow. The saidchambers also keep contiguous absorbing layers. at such a distanceapart'that liquid cannot pass from one into another.

The above-described apparatus may comprise any number of absorbinglayers depending on the quantity of gas to be absorbedduring certainperiods, such layers being connected together and not separated bypartitions; gases can traverse the apparatus in its whole extent withoutthe section of passage for the gases undergoing any material change atany part with the exception of the inlet and outlet pipes. As comparedwith the ordinary absorbing systems, when the same quantity of gas is tobe treated the present apparatus therefore occupies much less space.Further, since the absorption spaces are provided in one and the samechamber, the parts of the apparatus which must be shut off externallyare reduced to a minimum which, of course, means a considerablereduction of the prime cost.

I claim p 1. Apparatus for the absorption of dilute gases by liquids,comprising an air-tight closed chamber, adapted to receive columns ofsuitable filling material and having a gas inlet and liquid outlet atone end and a gas outlet and liquid inlet at the other end, a pluralityof vertical partitions in said chamber, separating the several columnsof filling materialandprovided with perforations arranged so as to causethe gases to fiowsuccessively through the several layers in a horizontaldirection, means for supplying liquid separately to each column offilling material insuch quantity as to produce a continuous column ofliquid passing through the entire column in a direction perpendicular tothe flow of the gases.

2. Apparatus for the absorption of dilute gases by liquids, comprisingan air-tight closed chamber adapted to receive columns of suitablefilling material and having a gas inlet and liquid" outlet at one endand a gas outlet and liquid inlet at the other end, a plurality ofvertical partitions in said chamber provided with perforations,separating the several columns of filling material and arranged so as tocause the gases to flow successively through the several layers in ahorizontal direction, means for supplying liquid separately to eachcolumn of filling material in such quantity as to produce a continuouscolumn of liquid passing through the entire column in a directionperpendicular to the flow of the gases, and means for collecting theliquid at the bottom of each layer, and means for intermittently andrapidly pouring out the collected liquid over the top of each layer.

3. Apparatus for the absorption of dilute gases by liquids, comprisingan air-tight closed chamber, adapted to receive columns of suitablefilling material and having a gas inlet and liquid outlet at one end anda gas outlet and liquid inlet at the other end, a plurality of verticalpartitions in said chamber, separating the several columns of fillingmaterial and provided with-perforations arranged so as to cause thegases to flow successively through the several columns in a horizontaldirection, means for supplying liquid separately to each column offilling material in such quantity as to produce a continuous column ofliquid passing through the entire column in a direction perpendicuratus,thereby causing part of the liquid-to flow from each of said basins tothe next lower basin toward the gas inlet end of the apparatus in adirection opposite to the direction of the flow of the gases.

' .4. Apparatus for the absorption of dilute gases by liquids,comprising an air-tight closed chamber, adapted to receive the columnsof suitable filling material and having a gas inlet and liquid outlet atone end and a gas outlet and liquid inlet at the other end, a pluralityof perforated vertical partitions in said chamber, separating theseveral columns of filling material and arranged so as to cause thegases to flow successively through the several columns in a horizontaldirection, means for supplying liquid separatelv to each column offilling material in such quantity as to produce a continuous column ofliquid passing through the entire column in a direction perpendicular tothe flow of the gases, a basin under each column for collecting theliquid, the basins for the several columns being stepped up toward thegas outlet end of the apparatus, thereby causing part of the liquid toflow from each of said basins, to the next lower basin toward the gasinlet end of the apparatus in llO a direction opposite to the directionof the flow of the gases, means for supplying fresh absorbing liquid atthe gas outlet end of the casing and means for drawing ofl theconcentrated liquid at the gas inlet end ofthe apparatus. a

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

IGNACY MOSCICKI. Witnesses:

JULIUS WEBER,

FRIEDRICH NONZELI.

